Dog Chronic Pain Recognition and Assessment

Chronic pain in dogs is widespread but often unrecognised because dogs hide pain, and because chronic pain signs are easily misattributed to ageing or personality. Better recognition improves welfare for millions of affected dogs.

Key Facts

An estimated 20% of adult dogs suffer from chronic pain, primarily from osteoarthritis and musculoskeletal conditions
Dogs evolved as prey-concealing animals and hide chronic pain very effectively - reduced activity is often the only visible sign
The Canine Brief Pain Inventory (CBPI) is a validated owner questionnaire that reliably detects chronic pain
Pain faces - grimace scales - have been developed for dogs though standardisation is still evolving
Common chronic pain signs include reluctance to climb stairs, reduced play behaviour, difficulty rising, and irritability when handled
Many owners interpret these signs as 'slowing down with age' rather than pain requiring treatment
NSAIDs, anti-NGF therapy, gabapentin, and physiotherapy all provide relief for chronic canine pain
Trial analgesic therapy is sometimes diagnostic - improvement on treatment confirms pain was the cause of behavioural changes

Welfare Considerations

Chronic pain recognition is one of the most impactful welfare improvements available in companion animal medicine. Millions of dogs live with untreated chronic pain that their owners do not recognise as pain because it presents as reduced activity, altered behaviour, or personality change. The welfare cost is significant - dogs in persistent pain have reduced quality of life that affects every day of their existence. The opportunity for improvement is equally significant - effective pain management with NSAIDs, anti-NGF therapy, and physiotherapy can restore mobility, engagement, and quality of life to a degree that owners frequently describe as transformative. Owner education to recognise chronic pain and seek treatment is the critical intervention.

What You Can Do

Complete the Canine Brief Pain Inventory if your dog shows reduced activity or behaviour changes
Seek veterinary assessment rather than assuming behavioural changes are 'normal ageing'
Ask your vet about anti-NGF therapy for dogs with significant chronic pain not controlled by NSAIDs alone
Monitor your dog's activity and mobility regularly using activity monitors or regular scoring
Consider physiotherapy and hydrotherapy as adjuncts to pharmaceutical pain management
Share information about chronic pain recognition with other dog owners - awareness drives welfare improvement